Cult 90s glam band Arcade to reunite for cruise shows

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Arcade, the very short-lived glam/hair metal band formed by Stephen Pearcy during Ratt‘s haitus will make a return in 2013!

The band, which also features Cinderella’s Fred Coury, released an EP and two full length album in the early nineties to public indifference.

Arcade will make live appearances as part of the second Monsters of Rock Cruise in March 2013.

Arcade will be joining various aor/hard rock heavyweights on the nostalgia cruise including Enuff Z’Nuff, Tesla and TNT.

The confirmed line-up in full:
TESLA
KIX
LITA FORD
Y&T
GREAT WHITE
DANGEROUS TOYS
NELSON
LOUDNESS
LYNCH MOB
JANET SHARE ROXY GINA (ex-Vixen)
TNT
LA GUNS
KEEL
HELIX
FASTER PUSSYCAT
ENUFF Z’NUFF
XYZ
FEMME FATALE
BLACK ‘N BLUE
ALCATRAZZ
HEAVY MELLOW
ATOMIC PUNKS
ARCADE
RON KEEL (Keel), JOHN CORABI (ex-The Scream/Motley Crue/Union) & TED POLEY (Danger Danger/Bone Machine)

Skunk Anansie to release ‘Black Traffic’ in September

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It has been announced that UK alt-rock band Skunk Anansie will release their fifth studio album in September.

‘Black Traffic’ will be the second release since the band reunited and follows 2009’s well-received ‘Wonderlustre‘.

The album will be released on September 17th and backed by a full European tour, with the band just making one UK appearance in 2012 at London’s Brixton Academy on December 1st.

Skunk Anansie tour dates:

6th Nov Coliseum Lisbon Portugal
7th Nov Coliseum Porto Portugal
8th Nov Riviera Madrid Spain
9th Nov Razzmatazz Barcelona Spain
11th Nov Les Docks Lausanne Switzerland
12th Nov X-tra Zurich Switzerland
13th Nov Tonhalle Munich Germany
15th Nov Palladium Cologne Germany
16th Nov Columbiahalle Berlin Germany
17th Nov Theaterhaus Stuttgart Germany
23rd Nov Lotto Arena Antwerp Belgium
24th Nov Zenith Paris France
25th Nov Ziggo Dome Amsterdam Netherlands
27th Nov Sentrum Scene Oslo Norway
28th Nov Falkoner Copenhagen Denmark
29th Nov Hugenottenhalle Frankfurt Germany
1st Dec Brixton Academy London UK

New video from The Overseer

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Just prior to the release of their debut album ‘We Search, We Dig’ uncompromising Christian metal band The Overseer have released a new video.

The track, ‘Amend’, is taken from the upcoming record and the video was directed by Daniel Davison of Isthmus Studio.

‘We Search, We Dig’ is released in the US on June 19th on Solid State Records.

Devin Townsend Project & Fear Factory to embark on European double headlining tour

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It has been announced that The Devin Townsend Project and Fear Factory are to join forces on a double headlining tour across Europe this autumn/winter.

The jaunt will mark Townsend’s second visit to the UK in 2012.  There is no scheduled London date as yet, but Townsend’s “Retinal Circus” extravaganza will be at the Roundhouse for a one-off show just prior to the Fear Factory tour on October 27th.

Support at all shows is supplied by Sylosis.  The confirmed dates so far are as follows:

Oct. 29 – La Laiterie – Strasbourg, France
Oct. 30 – Kulturfabrik – Esch Sur Alzette, Luxembourg
Oct. 31 – Logo – Hamburg, Germany
Nov. 02 – Aalborg Metal Festival – Aalborg, Denmark
Nov. 04 – Betong – Oslo, Norway
Nov. 11 – Amager Bio – Copenhagen, Denmark
Nov. 12 – C-Club – Berlin, Germany
Nov. 13 – Essigfabrik – Cologne, Germany
Nov. 14 – Substage – Karlsruhe, Germany
Nov. 16 – Barbey Club – Bordeaux, France
Nov. 17 – Plateruena – Durango, Spain
Nov. 18 – Hard Club – Porto, Portugal
Nov. 19 – Paradise Garage – Lisboa, Portugal
Nov. 20 – Fanatic – Sevilla, Spain
Nov. 22 – Penélope – Madrid, Spain
Nov. 23 – Rock City – Valencia, Spain
Nov. 24 – Le Rockstore – Montpellier, France
Nov. 25 – Magazzini Generali – Milan, Italy
Nov. 28 – Backstage – Munich, Germany
Nov. 29 – Arena – Vienna, Austria
Nov. 30 – Kino Siska – Ljubljana, Slovenia
Dec. 01 – Boogaloo – Zagreb, Croatia
Dec. 02 – A38 – Budapest, Hungary
Dec. 04 – Progresja – Warsaw, Poland
Dec. 05 – Eskulap – Poznan, Poland
Dec. 08 – Christmas Metal Festival – Geiselwind, Germany
Dec. 10 – Bataclan – Paris, France
Dec. 13 – Wulfrun Hall – Wolverhampton, United Kingdom
Dec. 14 – ABC – Glasgow, United Kingdom
Dec. 15 – Ritz – Manchester, United Kingdom
Dec. 16 – Academy – Bristol, United Kingdom
Dec. 17 – Mo’Club – Southampton, United Kingdom

UNDERGROUND MAN – Knows Me Better EP

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Occasionally something completely unexpected appears in the Real Gone review pile.  This debut EP by Brooklyn performer (The) Underground Man is such a release.  It appeared with little information attached and even a visit to the official website drew a near blank – just a splash page featuring a hat-adorning silhouette, plus Bandcamp stream to the EP.

So, what is it about? Just who is the Underground Man?  What does he want?

The EP is comprised of five acoustic-based songs, played a twangy, late ’50s style, replete with underplayed harmonies.  There’s something about this release that sounds like it could’ve had roots in a side project from The Magnetic Fields’ Stephin Merritt.  Maybe it’s the cheeky New York edge; maybe it’s the blatant disregard for popular musical whims and fashions. It’s in the attitude as opposed to the end result: it’s not the work of Merritt of course (to begin with, this performer lacks Merritt’s rich baritone) but, just maybe, the amiable retro qualities present here may appeal to his devoted fan base.  Then again, they can be a demanding bunch, so maybe not.

The songs themselves are enjoyable in an old-fashioned (or rather post-modern take on old-fashioned) way, with the harmony-driven ‘Goodbye Look’ being the pick of the bunch.  The one-two shuffle and simple vocal suggest a love for the iconic Buddy Holly, while the recording really highlights the hard sound of guitar strings.  Just as charming, ‘It’s Not True’ mines a similar musical past as the best works of She & Him. In fact, after a couple of spins, it’s near impossible not to imagine Zooey Deschanel singing alongside whoever this unnamed man may be.

The remaining three cuts are enjoyable and represent more retro fun – suitable for either late night listening or wandering the streets with your portable device.  ‘Hey Love’ is upbeat, almost early Beatles in its execution, with some pleasing live-in-the-studio elements and ‘Trouble Follows Me’ wins through with a busy guitar break and lackadaisical mood, despite not being as strong overall.  Interestingly, the slow title cut – and lead track – is perhaps the weakest, never really tapping into Underground Man’s full potential.  After a wobbly start it never quite recovers, but doesn’t lessen the impact of the release too much.

Hear this mystery man’s take on fifties pop and pop-culture for yourselves: the EP is available as a free download via the Bandcamp widget below.

June 2012